Stepanovite is a very rare organic mineral belonging to the humboldtine group, specifically an oxalate found in coal deposits. It typically forms as small, clear, tabular to rhombohedral crystals that are sensitive to dehydration and must be stored in sealed containers to prevent degradation.
Is this stepanovite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch stepanovite with a known reference. Stepanovite sits at Mohs 2, softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Streak: white.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Luster: vitreous.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: green, yellow green.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: hexagonal. Typical habit: aggregates, granular, water soluble.
Often confused with
Stepanovite vs. its common look-alikes, and how to tell them apart in the field.
Often found alongside stepanovite
Minerals reported to co-occur with stepanovite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- Na[Mg(H₂O)₆]Fe((C₂)O₄)₃·3H₂O
- Mohs hardness
- 2
- Density
- 1.69 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- White
- Luster
- Vitreous
- Transparency
- Transparent
- Crystal system
- Hexagonal
- Crystal habit
- Aggregates, granular, water soluble
- Cleavage
- None
- Rarity
- Rare
- Uses
- Collector
- Host rock
- In thin veinlets in coal
Where rockhounds find stepanovite
Classic worldwide localities
- Tyllakh brown coal deposit, left bank of the Olenhinskii channel near its mouth, estuary of the Lena River, Bulun district, polar Sakha, Russia
Field-hunting tip
Where it forms: In thin veinlets in coal. If you start seeing calcite, dolomite, whewellite in float, you are in the right ground. Typical habit: aggregates, granular, water soluble. Train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop.
Common questions
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Find stepanovite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
